


Too Wild (Need You Now)

by larsty



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bottom Louis, Everyone Is Gay, I Don't Even Know, King Harry, King Zayn Malik, Liam Payne & Louis Tomlinson Friendship, Liam has powers, Louis has powers, M/M, Minor Character Death, Older Harry, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Superpowers, This Is STUPID, Top Harry, Younger Louis, des is a dick, zayn has powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 06:44:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15261684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larsty/pseuds/larsty
Summary: It was hard to find your soulmate. There’s millions of people everywhere. There’s so many strangers that you’ll never know.It was even harder for Louis.Louis William Tomlinson, 17. Currently in hiding.Wanted for: murder, abnormal human activity.Reward: $10,000,000 / £6,427,970





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> ugh, idk man i wrote this like six years ago maybe idk and it's really bad but i needed something to do. please be nice and ignore how awful this is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry this was in my notes from like a while back and it's ugh. i remember i was inspired by something, maybe a fanfic or fanart, but i didn't i copy it. however, if you catch any BIG HUGE similarities let me know :) THANK YOU LOVE YOU

The study in the West Wing was boring. Nothing but books in many languages Louis couldn’t understand, maps everywhere, paintings of the King and Queen. There wasn’t anything of interest for nine— almost ten—year old Louis. He could only watch in boredom as Eleanor dusted the different books and shelves. He was still too young for any chores inside the Royal home, and he surely couldn’t do yard work, so he usually followed someone around out of boredom.

But never his mother, for she worked very closely with Her Majesty and Her family. Louis didn’t know much about what she did other than being a maid, but he did get to see her around meal times and in the early mornings and nights and before his bed time. It just depended on whatever the Queen herself needed.

“Louis, look! There’s a pretty batch of flowers over there. I’m sure your Mum would absolutely love them,” Eleanor said in a polite tone, pointing outside the window as she dusted off the sill. She was slowly getting annoyed by the constant groans of boredom and the huffs of irritation from Louis as he paced the room. Louis could tell.

Louis nodded as he set his eyes on them determinedly. They were a nice blue, vibrant enough even from the great distance the garden was from their sight. The kind of blue that would match his mother’s eyes. He knew Eleanor was just trying to get rid of him so she could finish up with her chores in the West Wing of the royal house, so he gave in pretty easily. He didn’t mind much.

He exited down the many halls and stairs before dashing outside excitedly. He giggled as he was nearing the small patch, the tall green grass scratching at his sides. Louis waved to the older women and men working the fields, not taking his eyes off the flowers. His feet padded on the dirt path, giggling as the grass that was taller than him tickled his cheeks.

The path soon disappeared into nothing but a dead end with even more grass and he lost sight of the flowers for a few moments. Louis frowned, pushing his way through the grass and sighed in relief as he saw the beautiful flower. He smiled brightly, reaching a hand towards them.

Just as he was so close to wrapping his little fingers around the stem, he lost them. Another hand, paler and skinnier, came into view, only a few centimeters from his own, before they snatched up the flowers. Confused and a bit sad, he looked up with a pout and a furrow in his brows. 

There was a boy, a very nice looking boy, standing in front of him, with light chocolate curls and green eyes. He looked confused and he was maybe a few years older than Louis. He was dressed much nicer, too. While Louis had a plain shirt, suspenders, old jeans, and no shoes, this boy was the complete opposite. He had a nice coat with gold lining and boots that would take Louis a lifetime to save up for.

“Um, I’m sorry. Were these yours? They’re quite beautiful,” The boy replied, avoiding eye contact and revealing a nice blush painting his cheeks. The boy hadn’t lost much baby fat on his face, but with outfits like those, Louis doubts the boy had ever gone hungry. 

Louis gulped before giving a short and hesitant nod. The curly haired boy nodded awkwardly, before his hand flew up too fast and almost hit Louis in the face. “Sorry! Sorry, I’m clumsy. I— Here.” He said shortly, hiding his face in his shoulder. His ear stuck out of his curls and it was a light pink. 

He held them out towards Louis, his right cheek still touching his right shoulder. 

Louis took them, ignoring the small tingle of warmth he felt when he brushed his fingers to grab them. “So, um.” The taller boy said, looking at Louis’ bare feet. Louis felt shy and weird. This boy was probably here on some royal trip to visit the royal family and here he was staring at Louis’ toes. He quickly dug them into the grass.

Feet were weird, even Louis’ own, and he didn’t want anyone looking at his, especially someone already above his social class.

“Um, you have really pretty eyes.” 

Louis head shot up at that, meeting the older boy’s green eyes. They both widened their eyes at the sudden outburst, blushing cherry reds.

Before Louis could thank him, the boy dug his hand in the pocket of his green coat. 

“Sorry! I just— they reminded me. I, uh, picked these earlier, with my sister. They were in me mum’s garden and I liked the color. Er, you should have them, too. They’re, like, dahlias, or something, I think. They look like your eyes, but, they’re not as—yeah,” He rushed out, shakily holding out a batch of them.

Louis took them with a bashful smile. He hoped Eleanor wasn’t watching; she would surely tell everyone. She was an eighteen year old who loved to gossip almost as much as the posh ladies who come to visit the Queen sometimes.

Thinking about the Queen, the boy did have a resemblance to her, but he hasn’t seen her too much. He wasn’t not allowed to follow his mum while she was on the job since she worked with the King and Queen and their children personally. He was still surrounded by the large paintings of the royal family—the King, the Queen, their eldest daughter, and their son. They were a beautiful family, even if the paintings were not up to date, and the talk of how pretty they all were was definitely something Louis heard regularly.

“Harry! I’m going to have to ask Jay to sew straps on your crown, then maybe it won’t come off your head. Look at it, just lying in the dirt like it isn’t worth a fortune! What shall I do with you, young man?” Her Majesty herself appeared in her extravagant looking dress, dusting off a heavy looking gold crown. 

She hadn’t noticed Louis yet, which he was grateful for. He hated the fact that a boy this handsome was looking at the rags he dressed in, now imagine the Queen of Wales herself!

He wanted to slowly sneak away; he could feel the eyes of everyone around them, so sneaking away was out of the question.

The Queen looked up from the crown, slowing her stride and releasing her dress. She stared at Louis and she was close enough that Louis could tell you how many pearls were on her neck. She shot a kind smile. “Why hello! I see Harry made a new friend. What’s your name, love?”

Louis gulped, blinking a few times and trying to regulate his breathing. He’d never been more embarrassed in his life. He understood why his mum never let him around her work. Louis quickly gave a clumsy bow, only serving to look like a nervous wreck. 

“My name is Louis Tomlinson, your Majesty.” He stuttered out.

She tutted, putting a hand on Harry’s shoulder, who still looked embarrassed. “None of that, my dear, on your feet. Now, Louis right? I knew you’d looked familiar. Your Jay’s son, correct? It’s nice to finally meet you. I am forever indebted to your mother, Louis.”

Louis felt like fainting. 

He could hear his mother in the distance, ordering around the starstruck workers who had stopped their jobs to stare at the Queen. His mother’s voice calmed him a bit and she stopped beside then Queen, setting her hands on her hips. Her warm yet warning eyes landed on him and Louis’ back straightened immediately. 

“Louis William Tomlinson! What are you doing out? You should be helping Eleanor and Danielle with dinner. Go on now,” She reprimanded with a knowing smile. The two ladies sent each other looks before his mum turned her stern look back to him.

“Well, what are you still doing? Get your feet moving.” Louis nodded quickly, doing a bow and running off, looking back at the older boy who still had his eyes on him. “Sorry for him, he’s a bit of a wanderer. Prince Harry, your tutor is here. My Queen, the King would like to see you in his study in the East Corridor.” 

Louis pretended not to hear the Prince Harry part. He couldn’t imagine it. The awkwardly embarrassing moment became even worse. Louis wanted to bang his head against a wall.

He made a fool of himself in front of the cute Prince and Louis wanted nothing more than to dig himself into the ground.

-

“So, Louis, Prince Harry, huh?” Danielle teased him, bumping her hip against his head since he was too short. Louis ignored her and the warmth that was spreading on his cheeks, kneading dough quitely. 

He heard Eleanor’s giggle from his right. Moments like these, he hated being in the middle of the two older girls he’d come to love as his sisters. “Did you see him, Dani? Poor kid, looked as if he was dying talking to him.” She sent a sly smile down at Louis, before looking back at her work.

Danielle laughed, her curly hair bouncing with her shoulders. “Which one? Prince Harry seemed quite smitten with our little Lou, too. God, what I would give to have heard the conversation.”

_Pretty eyes._

The flowers he had in his pocket felt like they were burning. 

“What if they’re soulmates? I can see it now!”

“With the way they were drooling at each other, I’d bet my money that they are. Louis, once you get your marks, you have to come show us. They’ll be the color of the Prince’s eyes, no doubt!’

There were two different marks everyone received. The first were gem-like colored birthmarks of your soulmates’ eyes, placed randomly on matching spots on the body. It could be one, for one soulmate, or two, for two soulmates. Then came the ink mark that tattooed the initials of your mate onto your wrist.

Danielle and Eleanor had their first marks right in the middle of their chests and their second marks came in soon after. It wasn’t surprising.

“Ladies, enough with the harassment of my son and continue cooking. We’re all extra hungry today with the ball coming up very soon,” Jay said, just as she opened the door to the servant kitchen. She came behind Louis and ruffled his hair, giving warm smiles to the girls.

Eleanor and Danielle nodded their heads. “Yes, Miss Jay,” They responded in sync. 

Jay was head of the servant house and barked out orders left and right, but she was also like a mother to anyone who didn’t have one. She was kind, but kept order with strict ruling. Maybe that was the reason she was the Royal family’s handmaiden. 

“Actually girls, I think you should go fetch some vegetables and leaves. Maybe some fruits from Ben so we can make something sweet to drink. I think I got the cooking from here.” Jay said, gently pulling away the girls’ wrists from the bowls and bread they were working on.

They both bowed respectfully. “Of course, Miss Jay.” Eleanor and Danielle rushed out, hands intertwined and giggling to themselves about Lord knows what. His mum turned to him, raising an eyebrow and hiding a smirk.

She held her gaze with her blushing son as she mixed spices and other things in a bowl of batter. It was awkward for Louis—and he’d been in quite a few awkward situations. 

“So, Boo-Bear, anything you’d like to get off your chest? Maybe something about Prince Harry, I don’t know.” She was playing coy, she only ever does this to tease Louis or to get him in trouble.

As of now, he was hoping it was the latter. 

He shrugged a shoulder hesitantly. “He was nice,” He muttered.

Jay smiled brightly. “Hm, mind telling me more? Oh, and be a darling and pass the eggs behind you. I’m making a spread for the bread you lot made.” Louis reached behind him and placed the jar of eggs on the counter beside her.

Louis took his spot next to hear, standing on the step stool to be able to see everything.

“That’s it,” he squeaked out, eyes wide.

His mum laughed and hummed. “He’s a nice boy. The Queen has been wanting the Prince to socialize with other children outside of the Castle, expose him to all sorts of social classes so when he becomes King, he’ll do right with his power. She mentioned once or twice that she wanted you two to meet, he’s only three years your senior. He’s been so busy with his lessons that he hasn’t the time to speak with you.”

Louis felt dizzy. He was supposed to meet that boy? 

“But, little did we know, that the Prince has been sneaking off from his Chivalry lessons to loiter around the servants’ quarters. Fessed up to Queen Anne that he had been looking for a tiny boy with chestnut hair and blue eyes who’s always running around barefoot in the grass while he stared out the windows during his lessons, said he only wanted to play with the boy. Sound familiar?” 

“No!” Louis denied, accidentally smashing an egg in his hands. His face was permanently red now, ears burning up, and the flowers in his pocket were chanting at him.

Jay laughed again and let out a sigh. “I figured it was you. Now clean up the mess and round up everyone while I finish up the meal. Shoo!” She waved the wooden spoon at him and their giggles mixed together as she chased him playfully. 

Louis remembers gathering everyone up, leading all two hundred of the people he grew to know as family, back to their quarters and into the dining room. He also remembers everyone bowing their head as his mum led grace, how he softly kicked Danielle when she tried to tickle him, and the biscuit basket being placed right in front of him. He made a little tower with his peas and Miss Grey had scolded him when he slurped his cup of water.

The rest of the night was a blur.

Jay and him walked to their private home a little a ways from the main quarters, challenging each other to little games. It was a sticky summer night and Louis could feel his hair matting to his forehead.

The flowers in his pocket were sticking him, too.

“Hmm,” Jay let their intertwined fingers loosen a bit while she looked around the trees in thought. “Oh, I know! Boobear, you have to hop on one foot while singing your alphabet.”

Louis giggled as he raised a right foot. “A, B, C, D, E, F, G,” He paused, looking up at his mum for assistance. The Tomlinson financial status was only a little bit above a working peasant, but they couldn’t afford to send Louis off for lessons, even if the Queen offered to provide for Louis’ schooling. 

Jay politely declined, refusing to be a charity case, and tried to teach Louis all she could. 

“H, dear,” She whispered softly, like they were on a stage preforming and the audience couldn’t hear their secret. 

Louis’ memory started to fade when he tried to remember what happened after she stopped in her tracks, standing tall as two men lurking in the shadows cut off their path.

There was stiff responses on Jay’s part, squeezing Louis’ hand, and the furrow in her brows and the narrow slits of her eyes made Louis’ feel queasy. 

The man on the left had barked out a command and Jay gave a snarky remark.

In that moment, he was separated from his mum; in the next moment, the man holding him back was spasming, gasping for air as both he and Louis looked to where they were touching.

The man had a hand wrapped around Louis’ tiny wrist, slowly being brought to his knees with wide, panicked eyes. The man tried to let go of Louis’ wrist, his hand shaking, eyes rolling to the back of his head as he fell to the floor.

Louis was breathing rapidly, fear in his chest as he looked at the man who lay lifelessly pale and the pain-stricken expression written on his face. Louis turned to the man pulling at his mum and quickly tried to drag him off of her.

The second he placed his tiny hands on the dirty back of the man, a scream was let out and the man had the same reaction. Louis remembers the man collapsing to the ground, mouth open and letting a few more cries before his body stopped convulsing. The knife in his hands dropped from his dirt-crusted fingers and onto the soil.

Jay was bleeding, clutching her stomach from where she sat on the ground, groaning in pain, but still reaching for Louis. 

He ran to her, tears streaming down his face and a whine threatening to release. She pet his hair, shushing him, while they breathed in each other’s comfort. 

“I-I don’t—I didn’t do anything, mummy! They were-I just—,” The sobs were moving through his body now and he couldn’t hear his mother struggling for air. He couldn’t hear her warning and frightened tone. 

“Louis, Louis!” Jay was gasping now, throwing Louis’ hands as gently away from her body as possible. “I love you. Always, Boobear. Mummy is not going to make it. I don’t know what you did and it doesn’t matter because you’re beautiful. My beautiful boy. You have to be careful, Louis, you can’t touch people anymore, baby. This is a gift, don’t ever think you are not anything different. I don’t know what is happening and I wish I could help you, but I’m fading, bub—“ 

“Mum, stop it, mummy, you’ll be okay. I—“ Louis cried out, his body shaking with sobs. 

“Shh, darling. Listen carefully. You’re going to do exactly as I tell you,” She winced in pain before breathing out slowly. “You’re going to be strong and be yourself, without harming anyone, including yourself. Remember that I’m always watching, I’ll always be here for you. I love you, I love you, I love you. You are—“ She let out a grunt.

“I’m in pain, Boobear, and I’m going to need your help. Do not blame yourself for anything, I need this, brave boy. I’m only hurting you if you watch my pain. I love you,” She pulled Louis’ head from her neck and touched their foreheads. 

Louis remembers her behaving the same way as the two men who he touched. He remembers screaming for hours, crying and sobbing on Jay’s body. 

They were found by the Royal guards eventually, who were doing their weekly rounds around the territory.

A man who Louis recognized as Sir Geoff Payne of Wolverhampton, First Knight of the King, sat tall on his white horse. The tall helmet-hat he wore cast a shadow over his dark eyes as he inspected Louis. The rest of his men all stood beside him on their own horses, silent and waiting.

Louis looked on with scared, wide eyes, shielding himself and his mother’s body. 

“Goodness. What has happened here, boy?” His gruff voice made Louis flinch, the young boy letting a tear fall as he kept his eyes to his mum’s face. 

Louis remembers somehow ending up being taken to see the King, standing before him, smudged in dirt. He also remembers a guard had laid a hand on his shoulder. 

The man died the same way as the other men had and no one touched him after that. He received glares and looks of fear and Louis could only cry out apologies that fell on empty ears. He couldn’t stop shaking, his fingers would tremble in fear as he snapped his fingers to distract him from his situation.

“‘M sorry, I-I-I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry,” he sobbed to no one after he heard whispers about his curse and how he mercilessly had slain five people.

Sir Geoff did all the talking when they were bowed before the King in the main hall, surrounded by intricate gold carvings on the walls and the luxurious chandeliers. Louis was surrounded by richness and elegance.

“Your Majesty, I found him…” Louis shut his eyes tightly, he didn’t want to listen and he refused to go back to that time.

“Well, I think a demonstration is in order. Bring in one from the filth cell that is to be executed tomorrow,” The King’s booming voice echoed throughout the hall, causing Louis to jump and look up. A servant scrambled off, obediently following the order.

Time seemed to tick on and on as the King’s narrowed eyes and stiff posture was directly pointed towards Louis. He could feel the hatred from the threatening glare, could see the flared nostrils and the set line on his lips. 

Louis was sweating, still breathing heavily and cheeks still wet from the countless tears he’s shed since yesterday. He kept glancing at Geoff, who would send him small, pitiful glances and looks of sorrow. It didn’t comfort Louis, but it was the first time anyone had looked at him with anything but hate.

The King’s people were all stood in straight lines on opposite sides of the hall, looking every bit of wealth as the King and his palace. They were decorated in gold and purple stockings and outfits and dresses that would cost Louis and his mum a lifetime to save for.

He felt tears stinging his eyes as he thought about his mum. She was his best friend and the only person he felt at home with. He could feel himself start to heave again as the image of her lifeless body flashed his vision and before his legs gave out on him, the servant returned. 

He returned to his position as guards dragged a dirty, skinny man in his thirties, who was crying out to be released and thrashing about. He was thrown on the ground, a good distance between the front steps of the King’s marble and gold throne. The ragged man immediately scrambled to his knees on the first step, clutching his hands together and waving them back and forth.

“P-Please, your Majesty, h-have m-mercy. I was only try-ing to f-feed my f-family and—“ 

“Silence, peasant! You do not have a family, therefore not only have you been charged with grand theft and assault to three civilians, but you are lying to the faces of the Royal Court. Your sentence is death, since you have been charged with seven misdemeanors similar to the ones you have recently been charged with and have not once learned your lesson. The mercy and the patience of the court does run out, unfortunately. Your sentence is being moved to today.”

The King leaned back in his chair, using a two finger signal to command the guards to seize the man again. His furious brown eyes landed on Louis again.

“Boy, I want you to do to him what you have done to Johannah Tomlinson and the three other men who you have killed.” He said coldly. 

Geoff made a step towards the King. “With all due respect, Sir, I do not believe—“

“Are you being defiant, Geoff? We have been friends for many years, Geoff, but I will not tolerate disrespect from my own Knight,” the King cocked a brow, his face set determinedly.

“But, your Majesty—“

“Enough! My word is the final law and what I command goes. I am commanding this child to murder this criminal. This child is ungodly and will therefore preform his curse to demonstrate why the rats like him should all die out. It is not an option, it is a command. Now do it boy!” The King had stood at this point, waving his finger around madly as the people in the court watched in fear.

The guards made a move toward the boy, crowding him as he tried to get away. 

They were yelling at him, telling him to kill the man who was watching Louis with wide eyes. The fear was evident in his eyes.

“Don’t touch me! Please don’t make me do it! I don’t want to!” Louis’ hoarse screams were pointless and he tried to squeeze himself against the cool marble wall.

Louis had closed himself off, he didn’t remember how they got him to touch the criminal who was covered in dirt. He just knows that he did it, but he was in his own little world when it happened, trying his hardest to ignore the screams, the gasps, the feel of the convulsions under the skin. Everything.

The echo of the body hitting the floor and the guards coming to drag the body away had Louis returning back from his floaty space and into the cruel reality he was living. He noticed he was still shaking, he hadn't stopped since yesterday and it was starting to make him nauseous. 

He looked tired, looked like he had seen and experienced things far behind his years.

He ignored the shouts of the King, about how he and the people like him were scum. He didn’t know there were people like him. He didn’t know things like this existed, nor that he would even be one of them. He didn’t want to believe that people who had weird things about them were scum, but he couldn’t help but feel that way. 

Life didn't feel real at this moment. Louis didn't know what was wrong with him or why he had what he had, but he hated it. Everything felt surreal and he just wanted his mum to shake him awake and hold him in her arms, tell him everything was going to be okay and then play games with him or make him the tea she always made when he was scared.

Louis knew there were tons of eyes on him, but out of all the eyes on him, he felt one particularly unnerving stare. His eyes drew him to the same emerald eyes of the Prince, the same Prince who gave him the flowers in his pocket. The flowers that he had found comfort in when he’d touch the soft petals.

The eyes were hiding behind a pillar behind the king, a pale hand helping the boy balance between the shadows and the light. His eyes were almost glowing and Louis could feel himself start to tear up again, a strong blush burning his already red face. 

He wasn’t sure why, but he felt embarrassed and disgusting, even more so than the way all the people he’s seen today have made him feel.

The Prince’s eyes weren’t scared, they were curious and pitiful. The emerald greens didn’t look scared _of_ him, but scared _for_ him. He watched as the Prince’s eyes glanced at the men and women around Louis in disgust and anger, but when they landed back on Louis, he was sent a small smile and a look of sadness.

Louis didn’t know how to feel about that, or the small blush that was on the older boy’s cheeks, too. 

He looked away as he was pointed with a stick, being told to follow the guard to the prison cells. He ignored everything, just followed the lead towards a separate building with stones for walls and rows of cells. He was led into a tiny cell that had a cold draft of wind, with dust that was visible from the lighting coming from the small, barred window. The floor was dirt and he assumed the astray needles of hay were a makeshift bed.

The end of the stick shoved him in, sending him tumbling to the ground. Before he could look back, the heavy cell doors were shutting, leaving Louis completely alone.

He sat against the stoned wall and allowed himself to cry more. He talked out into the open area, as if his words were floating up to his mum somehow. It was sad and Louis could only imagine how pathetic he looked. 

And to distract himself after hours of mourning his mum and feeling sadness about where his life was heading, he allowed himself just a bit of time to blush and let the butterflies free in his stomach as he thought about the Prince. 

-

Later, when Louis sat on the floor in his prison cell with eyes fluttering open in the darkness, a lady with blonde hair and kind eyes walked in his line of vision. She stood in front of the bars, staring at Louis as he crawled to the furthest corner.

“Oh, poor baby. He’s terrified” She muttered, a pitiful smile falling on her lips. She knelt down to eye level with the small boy, frowning when she noticed his shivering form. “Geoff, how very dare you—“

“Karen!” He scolded, appearing out of the darkness, still dressed in his uniform. “My love, I did not wish for this, it is the King’s order. We mustn’t go against His majesty’s word.” He was reprimanding her in a soft voice, trying to keep his patience, looking to Louis with his own face of sadness as his body leaned agains the metal bars. 

“And if the King’s word is as cruel and vile as this one is, you’re going to blindly follow it? He’s a baby, for Christ’s sake, Geoff!” She stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest, turning her body away from her husband and facing the back wall.

Louis was every bit frightened as he had felt when he was attacked. The fear hadn’t stopped, heavy in his chest, but for once, the fear was mixed with something else. Confusion, maybe. It was cold in the cell, the dirty walls and dirt floors were all that Louis had. The only light source was the yellow light that was from the outside hall and nowhere near illuminating the cells. 

“And what do you suggest I do, Karen? Break His word, get myself killed and then this boy, too!” He wasn’t leaning against the door anymore, he was standing straight up, towering over Karen’s body.

She rolled her eyes, “That’s exactly what I’m suggesting! If you aren’t kind enough to do it, then I will!” She was determined, she didn’t let Geoff loom over her.

“You can’t be ridiculous, Karen! You’ll get yourself hanged and then myself and then Liam will be found out and he’ll be hanged as well.”

“And that’s whats going to happen to this poor boy too! I’d rather risk myself than allow someone as sweet as this boy to be persecuted for something they can’t help. He’s just like our Liam, Geoff, and I’d be damned if I did nothing about it. If something were to happen to us, I would want someone to help our baby out. Jay was a kind woman and she’d do it for Liam in a heartbeat! Now, I’m going to help this boy out with or without your help, and if I get into trouble, then at least he and Liam can run away and be safe.”

They went back and forth, whisper shouting and Louis almost wanted to laugh at how submissive Geoff seemed towards Karen. 

Geoff sighed, holding Karen close. The whispers became too quiet for Louis to pick up on, but they both turned to him. Karen was smiling bright and Geoff looked exhausted.

“Hi, love. I’m Karen. I’m going to help you out of here, but you have to pay attention.”

Louis barely listened, stuffing his hands in his pockets to feel the soft petals of the dying flowers between his fingers as comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave kudos and comments :) they make my day. and let me know if you'd be interested in making a cover or two for me. THANK YOU LOVE YOU.


	2. Chapter One

Louis was lying on the grass, head on his hands as he stared up at the trees and the clouds, thinking about his chores for the day and how nice it would be if Liam did them for him. 

It had been eight years since that whole incident when he was nine, eight years since he had come to the Payne property. 

He didn’t think about it much. 

Karen and Geoff brought him in and they loved him like their own. They hid him with their son, Liam, who, according to the public, had died ten years ago when he was eleven. The King would be furious if he knew that his First Knight’s child was one of the monsters who he keeps imprisoning; he would be more furious to know about the Payne family hiding Louis and Liam. 

To the public, Louis had escaped his cell and was now off on murderous sprees. It was comical almost, but Louis hadn’t left the Payne property since he got here and hasn’t come in contact with anyone other than Karen, Geoff, and Liam. 

Liam was twenty one, only a few years older than Louis, who was seventeen. Liam had the capability of doing the opposite of what Louis was cursed to do. He gave life, healed things and Louis tried not to be bitter about it. 

In a way, the two of them being so close was kind of like fate.

Liam was the only touch of skin that Louis was able to feel without killing him, since their powers balanced each other out. Life and Death. Louis was better at controlling his power now; he knew not to touch anymore once the person started gasping for air. Karen always pushed her limits and would try to hug him for longer than she should because she wanted to make sure Louis understood that he was loved. She was as touchy as she could be, flirting with death each time she cuddled him through his nightmares.

Liam was always there, keeping a watchful eye in case anything went wrong. Geoff would give quick pats when he was praising Louis, but was smart enough to keep his distance. “It’s a manly thing,” Karen would try to explain when Geoff wouldn’t give Louis as much attention as he should.

Today, Louis was supposed to do the laundry and feed all the animals, who were just as scared of him as he was of them. It’s like they sensed the awful presence Louis had and it did nothing to help his self-esteem. He was already dreading having to go into the barn and see the animals run as far from him as possible.

“Louis! Aye Tommo, wakey wakey! Look at what mum brought in,” The tall, puppy eyed boy shouted, waving a fist full of flyers frantically. He ran up the tiny hill Louis was on—the hill that overlooked the Payne property—and bent over, hands on his knees.

He held his hand out and handed him the parchment. “’S ridiculous, mate,” He laughed, taking a seat beside Louis. Their legs were touching, something that Liam always made sure he was doing.

Liam always had to be touching Louis in same way, so Louis felt a bit normal and had some idea what human touch was. At night, they would even cuddle. It was a nice gesture Liam did for Louis. 

The parchment had a drawing of little nine year old Louis Tomlinson and beside it, a sketch of what he was supposed to look like today. It was off by a long shot, since he had no facial hair whatsoever, but it was the thought that counted, Louis guessed. Above the drawings were large letters, spelling out “WANTED BY ORDER OF THE KING” and at the very bottom was an information box in fancy cursive.

Louis cleared his throat, “Louis William Tomlinson. Aged 18. Date of Birth: Twenty Fourth of December, 1782. Missing Since: Thirteenth of November, 1790. Wanted for: Murder/Abnormal Activity/Possible Secret Cult Leader of Abnormal Beings/Conspiring Against Public Peace/Terrorism.” They giggled at that.

“So according to the Royal Court and the public, you are a long-bearded hobbit of a man, who is running an underground cult?” Liam burst out laughing, Louis following soon after. 

“If only that were true. Now, back to what I was saying, ‘Reward: $10,000,000 / £6,427,970.’”

Both Liam and Louis turned to each other, wide eyed and mouths open. 

“In all seriousness mate, I’m going to turn you in if that’s the reward I’ll be receiving,” Liam gave a cheeky grin and a shoulder shove. 

Louis rolled his eyes with a frown. “Shut up, we can’t all be dead to the public like you!”

“You can certainly make people dead like me,” Liam teased and Louis groaned. He immediately tackled Liam to the ground, trying his hardest to pin him to the grass.

They giggled as they tussled around, yelling out stupid insults toward each other.

The two boys almost always tried to resolve their disputes with stupid wrestling matches. It always ended with Louis stuck in a headlock under Liam’s biceps. The brown eyed man was much bulkier than Louis, who refused to lift anything that was heavier than ten pounds. 

“Okay, okay! You stupid imbecile, let go of me!” Louis shouted, trying his best to hit the older boy anywhere he could reach.

Liam let out a laugh, pushing the younger boy off of him. Louis rolled back to his spot and let the silence surround them. It was peaceful, Louis dangled his fingers above the patch of grass and watched it fade to death.

Louis had found out years ago that he sucked all energy from any life form, not just human. It was much easier to control his power around plants, so he mastered using his power to when he wanted to use it and not the other way around. 

With plants only. 

It wasn’t as big of an accomplishment to Louis as it was to Karen, who was strongly proud of him.

That night, Karen had made him a cake and had brought Louis a few things from the market. She made his favorite dish and decorated the house in all sorts of ribbons and bows. The dinner was about celebrating Louis’ accomplishment and she made Louis preform his new trick about a thousand times, forcing Geoff and Liam to clap along with her every time.

When it came to humans, Louis was terrified. As hard as he tried to get his powers under check, he couldn’t. He didn’t have any control over it whatsoever and it made Louis even more terrified. They—as in Louis the emotional trainwreck, Liam the patient, Karen the encouraging, and Geoff the supporting—hadn’t gone very far with his training.

“You’ve gone through a traumatic experience and you’ve come so far,” was a jumble of the words the Payne family serenaded him with constantly. He was extremely appreciative of his family and he loved them all to bits.

Truth was, Louis was extremely lonely.

Somewhere, Louis had a soulmate. The tsavorite mark he had received when he was sixteen, located on the side of his neck, was always vibrantly glowing. It was visible to whoever looked at Louis and it made Louis feel a bit proud. His mate’s eyes were pretty.

The initial on the inside of his wrist was private, like a secret only for Louis. It was a tiny H and Louis’ heart was filled with sadness every time he looked at it.

He would never be able to meet his mate—and if he did, Louis would kill him without meaning to. They’d never touch or kiss and nobody wants a mate they practically can’t have. His mate would surely leave him.

Liam had two mates, one mark on each of his shoulder blades; a blue one on his left and a brown one on his right. The initials were N and Z were on each of his wrists and Liam had been over the moon since they came in. Liam was always annoyingly optimistic and the puppy eyed boy believed that he and his mates could live happily ever after. 

And they probably could. Liam’s power was harmless. In fact, he would probably be accepted if anyone ever found out about what he could do. He was dead to the world when he was a kid, but he was a man now. No one would recognize him. He could create a new identity, live a normal life.

Sometimes, Louis wished Liam was his mate. He’d never loved Liam in that way, even if he was handsome, and he didn’t think he ever could, but at least Louis could touch him.

But Liam believed that Louis was going to meet his mate and live happily ever, right next to Liam. 

It upset Louis, that Liam would be naive enough to actually believe that would happen. He stopped telling Liam to shut up about it when he realized the other boy wouldn’t listen.

Liam copied Louis’ movements, the blades of grass perking up and returning to its lively shade of green. “Hate to interrupt your thinking, but I just wanted to let you know that I catered to your plant.”

Louis unintentionally smiled. The dahlias and the other flowers were kept in Louis’ room, the only surviving memory he had from that night. Liam would bring them to life everyday in the morning, never questioning why they meant so much to Louis, but knowing that they were important.

He hadn’t even asked Liam to do it, but during the third night of Louis being with the Payne family, he had caught the blue eyed boy stroking and staring at the flowers longingly for the umpteenth time, so he decided to surprise the boy. 

He placed them in jar and they looked fresh and full of life, just like when Louis first had got them. It was the first time Louis had felt like this was home and he’s never felt any different since that day.

“Hey, can I tell you something?” Liam asked, nudging his shoulder against Louis’.

“‘Course,” Louis mumbled, staring at the chickens running around the coop.

“I, uh, I know who my mates are.” He mumbled back, his cheeks turning a bright red.

Louis tackled him in a hug, rubbing his knuckles against his scalp. “No way! Li, I’m so proud of you! This is awesome. How did you find out?”

Liam sent him a shy smile, brushing his hair back into place. “Well, I met—wait! Promise me you won’t interrupt me or be angry with me?”

Louis narrowed his eyes, “What do you mean?” He crossed his arms, but eventually agreed when Liam gave him a puppy eyed face. 

Liam shot him a big grin and took a deep breath. 

“Okay so I once snuck out to the market place and I ran into Niall. He works at his dad’s pub and so I bumped into him, right, and just knew it was him right away. We started chatting and sure enough he has the same Z and gem as me, where as I have his stuff and he has mine too. He’s Irish and he’s so good looking, Louis! And he knows our other mate, his name is Zayn and he’s a Prince from Pakistani! Niall’s met him a few times, but they’ve been waiting for me. I told him I could do, you know, do that thing I can do so I’m in hiding and all that.”

Liam let himself take a tiny rest, allowing Louis to catch up with all the new information, before speeding out, “Turns out, Zayn can control fire and he has invisibility capabilities and that his father is the one of the ruling Kings of Pakistan but he married Lady Tricia, third cousin to King Desmond, so they’re residing here. Anyways, Zayn is open with his abilities. He’s like an ambassador and he’s working to help people like us! He’s a big deal apparently, I don’t know all the details, but I’m going down to see them both tonight for the first time.”

Louis didn’t know what to say. It was a lot to take in, so he said the first thing that came to mind.

“You’ve been sneaking off without telling me?! And you’ve known about your mates for how long?! You arsehole!” Louis gave him a few hits that had little to no affect on Liam’s muscles. 

“Hey! I’m sorry, it was supposed to be a one time thing, but then I met Niall and I couldn’t stay away. Zayn has been too busy dealing with royal stuff so he hasn’t been able to meet with us late nights, but Niall tells me that he always sends his love and he even got me a present! Niall, too. It was chocolate, but we ate it all. Anyways, I’m going to be gone all night.”

Louis tried to hide his jealousy and mustered up the most supportive smile he could, following it with a supportive pat on the back. He quickly looked away from Liam’s sympathetic eyes. He didn’t want to deal with Liam and his stupid puppy eyes right now. “I’m extremely happy for you, Li. You deserve the world and I hope they can give it you. I’ll cover for you tonight, if you want to leave earlier.”

He focused on the sounds of the chirping from the birds and the sun that was beating down on them. It was about midday and they should probably head to do their chores before Karen came marching up the hill to reprimand them, but neither made any attempt to get up.

“Louis, I-I want you to come. And before you protest, hear me out! When I go, it’s about midnight. The shops are all closed, everyone is at their homes. Niall’s dad’s pub is open and busy, so we meet in an empty shack that’s hidden from the public. We won’t get caught.”

Louis shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Shut up, Liam, I can’t, you know that. There’s too many risks and I just can’t.”

Liam scoffed. “I’ll be with you the whole time! Nothing is gonna happen, everything will be fine. I think it’d be good for you. You need to get out and talk to people. The times are changing, Lou! We’ll be free soon enough, Zayn is working hard for that.”

Louis ignored him, flashbacks of the men and his mother from that night, of the guard and the prisoner, of how close he could’ve come to killing Karen or Geoff. He could feel the panic in his chest, rising and falling with an aching fear. 

Hot tears streamed down his face. “I-I can’t,” Louis sobbed into Liam’s chest, didn’t even realize the older boy had pulled him into his chest. “I’m a m-monster, Lima. I’ll kill your mates and everyone who I even look at, I-I just can’t.”

He focused on the slow rocking of Liam’s body, listened to the soft “shh’s” coming from his mouth.

“Look, I was suggesting it, but I’m not going to pressure you into anything. You know I wouldn’t let you lose control like that and I just wanted you to see life. Niall wanted to meet you, he said he wanted to crush you in a big hug,” he said fondly. “And I’d let him, because if I touch you both—“

“You cancel me out, I know Liam. But I don’t trust myself!” Louis said in between sobs. “I’ve killed five people. If I leave this house, I could kill five more. Fifty more. Five hundred more! Just by even looking at them maybe! I’m not going Liam, I’m happy for you but I just don’t think me or anyone on this earth is ready for me to be in contact with living beings.”

Liam didn’t say anything and let Louis fall back against him. 

They sat in silence, Liam letting his head rest on top of Louis’ own, not removing his arms from Louis.

“Boys! What are you two doing? It’s the afternoon and you still haven’t finished your chores. Get up and stop slacking!” They quickly jumped up, watching a distant Karen’s figure stand outside the back door, waving her arms sporadically, and went their separate ways.

The animals, like every day, avoided Louis like the plague. The chickens (Beaker, Cluck, Albert, Henrietta, and Daphne) clucked loudly and flew in the opposite direction as Louis when he trudged his way through the barn. The horses (Phillip and Star) neighed, standing on their back legs, and backed away from Louis when he went into their area. The pigs (Piggie, Bubba, Betty, Curly, and Ham) squealed and ran away. Bessie the Cow was the only animal too unbothered with his presence to move.

She was fairly lazy and didn’t move much though. She was his favorite and they weren’t friends, but they weren’t affected by each other. 

The day continued on like normal as Louis finished up his chores and helped Karen around the house, the conversation between him and Liam long forgotten.

At dinner, they all sat around the dimly lit table and conversed over their days.

Geoff explained that today was relaxing as they only did a ground sweep and territory check. The views were nice when they rode their horses around the forests and towns.

Karen gossiped a bit about one of the fishermen at the market place who recently got married, said his mate was rumored to be beautiful.

Dinnertime was always his favorite because they all talked and laughed and it felt like warmth to Louis. Today, he was only paying attention to Liam.

Liam was eating quickly, not quick enough to distract Karen and Geoff’s heart eyes as they chatted, but enough to cause Louis to watch him. He shoved the mashed potatoes in his mouth and chewed the steak as quickly as he could. He lifted the plate to let the remaining food fall into his mouth, but his brown eyes locked onto Louis’ knowing ones.

“Slow down, say you have a stomach ache,” Louis mouthed, scolding him for acting so carelessly. He was surprised Liam hadn’t been found out yet, Geoff was always particularly keen and would notice even the slightest bit of things.

The older boy nodded and put his head down, letting out a soft groan.

Karen immediately stopped talking and turned to her son. “Liam, darling, what’s wrong?”Liam lifted his head, squinting his eyes and pretending to feel sick. It was comical to Louis, Liam’s acting skills were below average but Karen was a soft gullible person who cared too much. God, Louis loved her.

“My stomach hurts and my head feels like its spinning. I don’t feel good, mum.” He groaned, clutching his stomach pathetically, and Louis was trying his hardest not to laugh.

Karen rushed to his side, putting one hand on his forehead and the other hand rubbing over his back supportively. “Oh, poor baby. It’s probably a bug. You should head to bed, get some rest. I’ll go buy medicine from the marketplace first thing tomorrow.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek and helped him stand. 

“Papa, can I be dismissed?” Liam asked weakly, straining his voice and avoiding a glance in Louis’ direction. The boy was red with how hard he was trying to hold it in. 

Geoff sent him a frown. “Of course, Liam. Off to bed. Feel better son.” He nodded, returning the goodnight hug Liam gave both him and Karen. 

Louis finished his meal with Karen and Geoff, asking questions about their day that they left out. They were his parents, in a way, and he loved them so much. He helped pick up afterwards and gave Karen a quick goodnight kiss on the cheek and a quick hug to Geoff.

It took a while for him to work up to quick touches, he was able to pull his body away from them before anything had the opportunity to happen. It was another milestone moment Karen was extremely proud of. He was able to pull his body away from the unwanted magnetic force that would lead to their death. 

He was marching up the stairs when Karen called out his name. 

“Louis, love, I bought you a new book, forgot to mention that earlier! The one Geoff has been pestering us about, I finally found it. I left it your bed table darling, goodnight!” He thanked her a million times as he eagerly went into his bedroom. Sure enough, the book was there, looking flawlessly brand new.

His education was good. Karen used to be a school teacher before Liam had passed in the public eye, so she taught Louis fairly well. He still stuttered when he read aloud sometimes and he couldn’t solve the ridiculously long equations like Liam could, but he was determined to try to learn anything school related. 

Instead of climbing into bed and reading the book, he found himself walking to Liam’s room, slowly opening it. 

Liam was packing a sack, jumping when he saw Louis. 

“Jesus, Lou,” He said, hand against his heart in shock. “Thought you were mum.” 

Louis shut the door behind him, sitting on Liam’s bed beside the taller boy. “What’s in there?”

Liam looked bashful as he shrugged. “Just brought them some gifts, that’s all. Wanted to make them happy and show them that I love them.”

It was quiet as Liam continued to put things in there, little trinkets and jars of the honey Karen made. Liam bid him a goodbye, promising to be back in a few hours and thanking him for not telling him. He went to make his way out of the window, one foot outside, when Louis squeaked out.

“Liam wait,” He muttered. “I-I want to come. But, you have to promise me you’ll never leave me alone and that you won’t let me come near anyone who isn’t holding you.”

Liam shot him a smirk and Louis felt like he was going to regret his decision.

-

They walked for a while, through a dark forest that made Louis think back to the past, but he focused on Liam’s too weird-feeling hands clutched in his.

It felt like ages when they finally reached the town and Louis was in awe. It was dark and empty but it was full of more life than Louis’ seen in years. He felt like he was on another planet, where everything looked and felt foreign. They passed closed shop windows where they sold all sorts of things and Louis gazed in wonderment at the images of people here during the day.

There were shops that sold clothes, the beautiful garments on display and Louis could imagine his mum or Karen in one of those dresses. Liam was slow in his steps down the cobblestone street, wanting Louis to take everything in. 

The distinct chatter and laughing and the yellow light coming from a pub was coming closer and Louis felt panic. 

“It’s okay, we won’t be going there,” Liam assured.

Instead, he led them behind the pub building and into a shed that had a small light in it. Liam could feel his heart picking up and his smile reminded Louis that he was going to talk to actual human beings, people other than the Payne family.

Liam pushed open the door and Louis tried to gulp down his nerves.

There were two boys there in the empty room, a blond around Louis’ height and a brunette around Liam’s. They both lit up and embraced Liam, Louis turned his head when they all exchanged kisses. He noticed that the blond was talking animatedly, his bright blue eyes cheery and full of excitement. He was loud and jumpy and had so much energy. He was adorable and clutched onto the other boys with a large smile.

The other boy was extremely perfect, physically. He was quiet and conservative, but his brown eyes were shining with happiness and his smile was small. He carried himself with the same authority and confidence as Liam. 

Louis was too caught up in their appearances that he hadn’t noticed when they all turned to him. 

“Hi Louis! Liam has told me so much about you, I’m so happy to meet you. You’re so cute, mate. Liam, Zayn, come on!” The Irish boy dragged them with him as he approached Louis. Liam was between Niall and Zayn, two hands on their backs as Niall all pulled them in for a hug. 

“Uh,” Louis gasped, because he actually felt another person’s skin. He was feeling touch and he was overwhelmed with warmth from skin and kindness and love and acceptance. He could feel the smoothness of their skin and their soft hair. He could feel their warm breath and their fingers gripping onto him. He felt the muscles of their backs and the fabrics of their shirts and all the textures from touching was all he had wanted.

He let a few tears slip as he shut his eyes closed, relaxing into the embrace, burying his head into the chests of the boys around him.

It felt so good to finally feel like he was normal, like he was loved by other people. Maybe he was getting ahead of himself but he felt the positive energy radiating off of the boys and he couldn’t stop the sobs or the tears at that point. 

The hug felt like forever to Louis, a good forever, before they released the smaller boy. Niall grabbed Liam’s hand with one of his own and grabbed Louis’ hand with the other. He put Louis’ hand on his chest, let him feel his beating heart that was fine and okay and guided Louis’ hands to Zayn’s heart. 

“You’re fine, Louis,” Zayn spoke up. “You won’t hurt us and we want to be your friend. You can trust us just like we trust you.” He sent him a supportive smile, accompanied by Niall’s own. Liam was full of fond at that point and Louis was so, so happy.

“I-Uh, yes,” Louis muttered shyly. 

Conversation flowed between the three mates with Louis listening in as they sat in a circle on the ground. Zayn had a small fire going to keep them warm and they would all try to steer Louis into the conversation, but he was too shy to respond. Even after he would give a shrug or an unsure nod of his head in response, they’d still include him as if he was the one keeping the chatting alive.

Louis felt comfortable with his chin resting on his knees, eyes darting between the boys, who were cuddled up with each other. They had offered Louis to join, but he politely declined. It was already bad enough that he was intruding on their first night together, he couldn’t interrupt their intimacy. 

The sound of someone falling and groaning had all the boys sharing confused glances. They listened to a few more clumsy footsteps before it sounded like someone was trying to open the door. Liam and Zayn stood up, ready to pounce onto the intruder. 

The door creaked open and in came a stumbling boy, who quickly shut the door behind him. He fell to the ground with a hiccup and a giggle before staggering his way back to a standing position. 

The boy was beautiful to Louis. He had brown curls and creamy skin and he was taller than Liam and Zayn, but slimmer and leaner. He had a crown placed onto his head crookedly and his eyes were shut closed in laughter. He was swaying, long arms stretched out and ready to catch him if he falls again. His hands were adorned in rings and he looked rich. He was beautiful and Louis blushed for no reason.

Zayn groaned in annoyance, crossing an arm over his chest. “What do you want, Harry?”

_Harry._

That name had Louis gulping and staring with wide eyes.

“Zaynie! I made,” hiccup, “a bet. A bet wit’ the lads at the bar an’ I won the bet, Zayn! I really did, swear. Cross my heart,” He made a lazy shape on his chest before hiccuping again. “Swear on the Queen ‘erself. But those lads, they kept tellin’ me I lost! I din’t lose! So now, they’re tryin’ to take my crown. It’s mine! Mum would hang me, Zen!” 

His deep and slow voice was slurred and loud. He sounded like a child whining to an older person and Louis couldn’t help the endeared smile on his face.

Zayn let out a tired sigh, “Shut up, Harry, you’re too drunk to deal with right now. Just sit down and try not to be annoying. I’m with my mates and it would mean a lot if we focused on each other and not the big baby in the room.” He pulled Liam back down with him and Niall, sending an apologetic look towards Louis.

Harry grumbled out, “I’m a nice person and I’m funny,” before sliding to the ground with his arms crossed over his chest.

Louis still wasn’t able to take his eyes off his Harry, drinking in his appearance, even when Liam and Niall and Zayn started talking again. The drunk boy was singing a lullaby in a weird voice, rocking back and forth, and he was named Harry.

He was wearing a crown, his name was Harry, and he was beautiful.

Louis glanced at the ‘H’ on the inside of his wrist, but scolded himself for thinking that could ever happen. This wasn’t his mate, it wasn’t even the boy he met all those years ago. 

Suddenly, Harry stopped his singing and opened his eyes. His bright, emerald green eyes met Louis’ own blue ones and Louis’ face had to be glowing red. Harry’s eyes widened as he rushed over to Louis, inspecting his face closely. Louis was too entranced by the beauty of this boy to move or react. 

“Hey,” Harry muttered. “I know you. You’re familiar. You’re really pretty. Super pretty. Like a flower, if a flower had eyes and a nose and a mouth. Oh and hair and ears! Fingers too. Where did you come from? Your mother, I already knew that. I mean how do I know you?”

Throughout his drunken slur, he was shaking his head repeatedly and Louis could feel the curls brush his nose. It seemed like Harry’s vicious shaking was working to sober him up because his eyes were glossy, but his posture seemed to be less gelatin-like. 

“You’re-I have to know you. You’re,” Harry paused to think, his shiny eyes searching Louis’ for something. Louis didn’t realize he was holding his breath. “You’re pretty eyes! I haven’t stopped thinking about you!” Harry shouted gleefully, reaching a hand out before Louis could even react.

Louis didn’t have time to register anything before he was being crushed in a hug, being engulfed by the taller boy’s entire body. Louis gasped as he realized that this boy—the boy he’d been thinking about too—was hugging him and would die within the next few moments if he didn’t let go. 

Except, even when Liam rushed to pull Harry off of him, Harry was fine. He was pouting and struggling against Liam’s strong arms, but he was okay. In fact, he hadn’t even reacted to Louis’ touch. 

Liam’s brows furrowed and he let Harry go, who fell to his knees awkwardly.

“You bloody dick! I’m the King of England, you knocker, and I’ll—“ Harry was pointing a finger at Liam, well wiggling a finger since he couldn’t quite pinpoint where he was exactly. 

“Harry! Shut up before I—“ Zayn went to flick his nose, but Niall stopped him with a reassuring hand.

“Hey, Harry, can you put a hand on Louis again?” Niall spoke gently and patiently, giving Louis a small smile. Louis was shaking, clutching his body and holding himself away from everyone.

He wasn’t careful enough. He could’ve _killed_ him.

Harry huffed. “I’m going to touch Blue because I want to and none of you better stop me. I’ll have you hanged. I want Blue,” He chanted as he made his way over to Louis. Louis was too caught up in his head, drowning in his thoughts, and didn’t notice when Harry staggered his way.

“Pretty eyes, I’m King Harry and you are Blue. I hope you’re my mate because you are pretty. I don’t have a B for Blue or P for Pretty Eyes, but I can get one. I have an L but I can get one,” Harry mumbled determinedly as he pulled Louis’ shaking form into his chest. 

_Nothing happened._


End file.
